Computer operating systems frequently employ a graphical user interface to convey information to users via a monitor by various combinations of graphical user interface items, including icons, text, drop-down menus, dialog boxes, and toolbars.
In a graphical user interface, icons typically represent computer objects such as files and folders that can be manipulated by the user. Drop-down menus organize numerous computer operations into major headings and display the headings across the top of a computer screen. Each heading contains a menu that drops down when the heading is selected by an input pointing device to allow access to the operations listed in the drop-down menu. The operations may be tools, controls, commands, macros or procedure. Toolbars comprise a series of buttons, each of which invokes a predefined operation when actuated. Dialog boxes generally convey information to users concerning a particular operation that has been invoked.
A user typically interacts with a graphical user interface by positioning a cursor over a control object in the graphical user interface with a mouse, or other input pointing device, and by actuating, or clicking, a button on the mouse. The cursor is positioned by means of a roller ball on the underside of the mouse, which generates directional commands as the mouse is moved by the user. That mouse movement is then translated by the computer operating system into movement of the cursor on the screen.
In displaying icons, menus, and other tools, a graphical user interface presents the user with the information necessary to operate the computer system. Thus, there is no need for a user to memorize commands and other functions. Furthermore, the icons and other tools of a graphical user interface are displayed as visual metaphors of the operations they represent. As a result, a graphical user interface provides a relatively simple and intuitive means for operating a computer system.
Nevertheless, children and other computer novices, who use computers infrequently or in an educational context, may not intuitively understand the icons and other tools of a graphical user interface.
Consequently, they may be unable to use many of the programs available on the market today. Thus, there exists a need for a method and system by which children and other computer novices may intuitively operate programs by means of a graphical user interface.
A method and system of the prior art makes a program more intuitive for children and other computer novices by displaying control objects as part of the graphical user interface of the program. Actuation of a control object may be used to open a dialog box containing information associated with the visually represented control object. For example, a control object that opens a dialog box containing information about a tree could be visually represented as a tree. A problem with this method, however, is indicating to the user which visual representations of a graphical user interface are control objects.
Various methods have been used in the prior art for indicating a control object displayed as part of a graphical user interface. In one method, the cursor changes shape or color when positioned over a control object. Although this method provides an indication of a control object, it requires a user actively to hunt and seek the control objects of the graphical user interface. For example, to find the control objects of the graphical user interface, the user must move the cursor over each and every visual representation of the graphical user interface and determine over which visual representations the cursor changed. Thus, there exists a need for a method of indicating a control object displayed as part of a graphical user interface.
More recently, a control object displayed as part of a graphical user interface has been indicated by altering the visual representation of the control object. For example, the control object may alternate between several colors or shimmer to attract the user's attention. Although this method affirmatively indicates the existence of a control object, it is time consuming and costly because each control object must be separately framed and individually programmed. Additionally, altering the visual representation of the control objects interferes with the user's viewing of the graphical user interface.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for a standard system for, and method of, indicating control objects displayed as part of a graphical user interface. Furthermore, the method and system should be non-intrusive to viewing of the graphical user interface.